An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is for providing driving signals to an ultrasonic probe, and for reconstructing an ultrasonic image based on the receiving signal outputted from the ultrasonic probe. An ultrasonic probe is for converting the driving signals into ultrasonic waves and transmitting them to the object, and has transducers arranged therein which are for receiving the reflected echo signals generated from the object and converting them into the receiving signals.
In an ultrasonic probe, upon transmitting ultrasonic waves from the transducers to the object, ultrasonic waves are effused also to the backside of the probe. Given this factor, a backside section is disposed on the backside of the transducer. For example, the backside section has a backing layer disposed on the backside of the transducer and a heat-dissipating member laminated on the backside of the backing layer, causes the backing layer to attenuate the ultrasonic waves effused to the backside of the transducer, and discharges the heat built up in the backing layer due to the attenuation to the outside via the heat-dissipating member (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
However, there are cases that the incoming ultrasonic waves from the transducer to the backside return to the transducer side by reflecting at the backside, especially at the bonded surface of the backing layer and the heat-dissipating member. Such reflected waves could lead to deterioration of S/N (Signal to Noise) of ultrasonic images, and also to increase of surface temperature of the ultrasonic probe.
Given this factor, in Patent Document 1, reduction of noise is carried out by changing figuration of the bonded surface of the backing layer and the heat-dissipating member to the minor axis direction of the transducer, and dispersing the reflected waves being reflected at the bonded surface and returned to the transducer side.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2004-329495